


yellow

by justlikeswitchblades



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 02:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5989108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justlikeswitchblades/pseuds/justlikeswitchblades
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haizaki comes to Kise's house on Valentine's Day with a black eye, bloody knuckles, and a bouquet of lilies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	yellow

**Author's Note:**

> please look at [this bomb haikise](http://lacett.tumblr.com/post/138784041539/embarrassing-fluffsorry) for hair reasons ty ty

Standing in the entryway of Kise's home for more than a minute now, Haizaki has started to get the feeling back in his fingertips. In any other situation, he'd be grateful, but the sensation is fierce today, a harsh white noise tingling in his hands. His hair is still a little damp from the flurrying snow, though, and it makes him shiver.

Everything stings a little too much. His black eye, bruised and swollen shut. The raw skin on his knuckles, shiny and pink, still not quite scabbed over. The way Kise manages to be so damn intimidating in just a hoodie and sweatpants, red-rimmed eyes fixed in a glare so hard he thought the door would be slammed back in his face when it was first opened for him.

He can’t look him in the eyes right now. All he can do is hang his head, staring down at the bouquet of yellow lilies in his hands, cradling it almost like a newborn to his chest. Kise's arms are crossed, and he taps a socked foot on the hardwood floor.

"I'm sorry," Haizaki whispers, his tongue feeling dry and thick in his mouth. "This guy tried starting some shit with me, and I just—"

"I don't care who started it, Haizaki. You should know that by now." Kise's voice is quiet, but the frustration is obvious as he drops his usual affectionate honorific. Haizaki dares a glance up from behind the lock of hair that’s fallen from his ponytail, quickly looking away when he sees how his mouth is set in a firm line.

"I...I know. I'm sorry." Kise exhales through his nose. His arms fall to his sides, fingers curling into fists.

"Do you think...do you _honestly_ think that you saying sorry will solve this so easily?" His laugh is shrill, nearly cracking into a sob, and Haizaki bites his lip. "Did you think bringing flowers would really help me forgive you any sooner?"

"No, but—"

"But?" Haizaki swallows at the indignation in his voice, but he still lifts his head.

"It's Valentine's Day," he explains, meek and yet matter-of-fact, and it nearly catches Kise off-guard. He stalls for a second, blinking at him, but then he clenches his fist.

“I don’t—I don’t _care_ ,” Kise spits, and a furrow forms in Haizaki’s brow, making him stand up straighter for the first time that evening. This isn’t Kise. This isn’t the Kise he wants to see, and yet he’s acting this way because of him. He inhales sharply, chest swelling with a panicked breath, wishing his denim jacket had a hood so he could retreat underneath it, but Kise is too upset to notice the anxiety working in his expression.

That, or maybe he went too far for the last time.

Maybe Kise just doesn’t care anymore.

“I just—” Kise sighs then, burying his face in his hands, dragging his fingers down his face with a groan.

“I just don’t get it, Haizaki. You told me you were working on your grades. That you were looking for a part-time job. That you had started talking to your parents again. You told me…” He hesitates, biting his lip, and Haizaki can see that his anger has faded—all he is is vulnerable now.

“You told me you’d try to transfer to Kaijou. That we’d get to spend our third year together.” His voice is fragile as he wrings his hands. “Was that a lie? Were they all lies?”

“No..." Haizaki tells him, though his voice is fading out. "No," he repeats a little louder, "Kise, I would never..." He falters then, stumbling on the doubt that spreads over Kise’s features. 

“...You don’t believe me.” Kise takes a shaky breath, eyes falling to the floor.

“I want to, Haizaki, but…” Haizaki’s nostrils flare with an inhale, and he squeezes the flower stems tight in his fist.

“Fuck.” He hisses under his breath. “ _Fuck!_ ” He whips the flowers at Kise’s feet, and the clear sheet of plastic around them crinkles loudly when it hits the floor. Then, he turns on his heel, his frustrated scream mangled in his throat as he grits in his teeth.

“What can I do to make you trust me, then?!” He asks, throwing up his hands. “If you have the answer, then, by all means, _tell_ me!” 

“I don’t have the answer, Haizaki! You’re the one who—”

“ _Me?_ ” Haizaki repeats, incredulous, splaying his hands on his chest. “Why the fuck would I try to jeopardize the one good thing that I have in my life right now? I know I’ve done some dumb shit, but god, I’m not that destructive!” He laughs bitterly in Kise’s shocked silence, but the tears are already welling up in his eyes, and his grin collapses as his shoulders start to shake.

“I’m trying, Kise.” His voice goes quiet, a fat tear rolling down from his good eye. “I’m trying. For you, and me. And I know you don’t think anyone deserves to get beaten up, but—”

“But these guys at school, they kept saying all this shit about what they were going to _do_ to me—” Haizaki slumps back against the door, a small sob coming from his throat, and Kise gasps softly, covering his mouth with his hand. He shakes his head, not wanting to believe him.

“Haizakicchi…”

“I was _scared_ , Kise! I didn’t know what else to do, so I—” He cuts himself off with another sob, his knees threatening to buckle, and Kise quickly moves to grab him, keeping him steady.

“I wanted to tell you the truth, but then you ended up hearing about it, and I didn’t—I didn’t—” His knees give another shake, and Kise carefully lowers them to the floor, then, shushing him gently as he rubs his back.

“It’s okay, Haizakicchi,” he murmurs, kissing Haizaki’s hair as he leans his forehead against his shoulder, “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”

“Please don’t break up with me,” Haizaki pleads, quietly, desperately, gripping fistfuls of Kise’s shirt. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Shh, it’s okay,” repeats Kise, pulling him close. “I’m not going to break up with you, Haizakicchi. I promise.”

“I’m sorry,” he gasps, “I’m—” Slowly, Kise cups his cheeks in his hands, gingerly guiding Haizaki up to face him.

“ _I’m_ the one who should be apologizing, Haizakicchi. Not you. You were just trying to protect yourself, and then I jumped to conclusions, and hurt you even more. I hope you’ll be able to forgive me.” Haizaki’s eyes flick up to meet his, then away, suddenly a little self-conscious of how warm his cheeks feel. Kise’s smile is fond in return, and he takes his hands in his own, helping him stand up again.

“Take your shoes off,” he gently urges, lips grazing his cheek. “My parents are out of town, so we can order dinner from somewhere. Okay?” Haizaki gives him a small, silent nod, and goes to sit down again, but on the step now, to unlace his boots. Kise steps up and picks the bouquet up from the floor, padding away as he goes to the kitchen.

Hanging his jacket in the hallway closet, Haizaki follows, tugging the elastic out of his hair. But then he stops in the doorway, watching Kise as he leans down, inhaling the lilies’ scent with a deep breath. The floorboards creak softly underneath him, and Kise’s head snaps up, his cheeks coloring.

“I didn’t, uh…” He stalls, searching for the right word. “I didn’t hurt any of them, did I?”

“There’s a little battle damage, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” Kise slips the flowers into a vase, giving him a small smile as he picks up a loose petal from the countertop. “They’re still as pretty as ever.” 

“The color made me think of you,” blurts Haizaki, ducking his head right afterwards. Kise laughs softly, a hand moving to sweep his bangs back, yet faltering when he remembers he cut his hair short months ago. Haizaki remembers him reacting the same way whenever he was embarrassed by something back at Teikou, and for the first time that evening, the corners of his lips relax into a smile. 

“Thank you, Haizakicchi—that’s quite the compliment.” He walks up to him then and takes his hand, leading him to the couch in the other room, and sits down, curling up in the corner. Haizaki puts his knee on the cushions, weighing a thought in his head for a moment before deciding to lie down, resting his head in Kise’s lap. 

“You’re cute,” murmurs Kise, and Haizaki makes a small noise in response, rolling his eyes at the compliment. He goes to touch his cheek, but Haizaki winces when his fingers move over the purple skin.

“Ah, sorry!”

“It’s okay,” he tells Kise with a shake of his head, who then continues to comb through his hair, smiling down at him.

“I...don’t necessarily like seeing you cry,” starts Kise after a moment, hand falling to where Haizaki’s is resting on his chest, letting their fingers lock together, “But it’s nice to know you don’t mind doing it in front of me.”

“Eh, I don’t know.” Haizaki wrinkles his nose for his second, then smiles. “I think I mind a little.”

“Still,” Kise insists, “It’s a lot different from where we were a year ago.” Haizaki snorts.

“Can’t deny that.” Then, his expression softens a little. “I’m still trying to make things better. I don’t know if I trust any of my teachers enough to tell them why I got in a fight this time, but I think some of them are on my side, y’know, in helping me with the transfer.” Kise leans down, smiling as he kisses his forehead.

“I know you are, and I can’t wait to show you around Kaijou when you do.”

“…Y’know, when I didn’t know your side of the story, I was so mad that I almost forgot it was Valentine’s Day. But now I remember, I actually had planned something for us to do.” 

“Yeah? Gonna spoil me for once?”

“In a sense,” laughs Kise, squeezing his hand, “It’s embarrassing, but I talked to my sister about you when she was home over winter break, so she took me to buy condoms and lube and stuff...” He coughs softly, his cheeks going pink. “I was thinking we could finally, y’know, put them to good use.” Haizaki blinks, his lips parting.

“Oh.”

“We don’t have to, of course!” Kise quickly amends, “Today has kind of been, well, a lot. We can always do it another time.” Haizaki nods along slowly, half-listening to his words.

“I mean, if you really wanted to do it now, I wouldn’t mind.” He exhales softly, lifting Kise’s hand to his lips to kiss his knuckles. “It’d be nice. But _if_ you’re going to give me a choice...I’d like to wait until my eye heals up before we do. Like, I can see okay right now, but I want to make sure I see it all, you know?” Kise raises his eyebrows, and he bites his lip, smiling as he hides half his face in his hand.

“You can’t just say things like that, Haizakicchi…”

“Oh, but I just did.” He sits up with a grin, moving to place a soft kiss on his lips. “That’s what you have to deal with for making me fall in love with you.”


End file.
